That Anarchist world, I admit, is our dream; we do believe…
““That Anarchist world, I admit, is our dream; we do believe - well, I, at any rate, believe this present world, this planet, will some day bear a race beyond our most exalted and temerarious dreams, a race begotten of our wills and the substance of our bodies, a race, so I have said it, 'who will stand upon the earth as one stands upon a footstool, and laugh and reach out their hands amidst the stars,' but the way to that is through education and discipline and law. Socialism is the preparation for that higher Anarchism; painfully, laboriously we mean to destroy false ideas of property and self, eliminate unjust laws and poisonous and hateful suggestions and prejudices, create a system of social right-dealing and a tradition of right-feeling and action. Socialism is the schoolroom of true and noble Anarchism, wherein by training and restraint we shall make free men.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Wells envisions a future where disciplined education and law transform society into a higher form of anarchism, with socialism as the training ground.
In simple terms: Education and law can lead to a freer, more united humanity.
Key Takeaway
Use education to build a just society.
Themes
education
law
socialism
anarchism
future society
Mood
critical
optimistic
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- school curricula reform
- community governance
- public policy design
Key Concepts
political theory
social engineering
human potential
Questions to Reflect On
- Can law truly eliminate selfishness?
- What role does discipline play in freedom?
A Different Perspective
Idealistic vision may overlook human self‑interest.